Current Name

Kehal Chasidey Bobov Beth Hemedrash

Alternative Names

Commencing about 2005, the Congregation is also sometimes referred to as Chasidey Bobov D'Ohel Naphtoli Beth Hemedrash (including Yeshiva Bnei Zion Beth Hemedrash)⁽ⁱ⁾, although Ohel Naphtoli is actually the name of only one part of the building complex.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾

Former Names

Beth Hemedrash Ohel Naphtoli (Bobov) (until about 2005)⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾

Beth Hemedrash Ohel Naphtoli (until early 1990's)^(iv)

Current Address:

The main Beth Hamedrash is at 87 Egerton Road^(v), Stamford Hill, London N16 6UD. (The postal code for the old Beth Hamedrash and Yeshiva is N16 6UE and the postal code for the School N16 6UB.)

This is the former New Synagogue building, designed by architect Ernest M. Joseph,^(vi) situated at the eastern end of Egerton Road, on the south side of the road, and was purchased in 1987 by the Babov Community Centre from the United Synagogue. The Bobov congregation (Beth Hemedrash Ohel Naphtoli) had, however, been using the Egerton Road building since at least 1980.

The synagogue, together with attached school, is a Grade II Listed Building (number 1264873), designated on 27 September 1991. View description on Historic England website.

Former Addresses:^(vii)

1-7 Darenth Road, Stamford Hill, London N16 (from about 1972 until about 1981)

5 Darenth Road, Stamford Hill, London N16 (from about 1963 until about 1972)

4 Darenth Road, Stamford Hill, London N16 (until about 1963)

Background:

Bobov is a Chasidic group originating in Bobowa, Galicia (now Southern Poland), now headquartered in the neighbourhood of Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York. It follows the teachings of the First Bobover Rebbe, Grand Rabbi Shlomo Halberstam (1847-1905) and his descendants.

The congregation follows the leadership of the Fifth Bobover Rebbe, Grand Rabbi Ben Zion Aryeh Leibish Halberstam of Borough Park, who was the half-brother of the Fourth Bobover Rebbe, Grand Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Halberstam and the son of the Third Bobover Rebbe.^(viii)  (The congregation should not be confused with Chasidey Bobov-45 Beth Hamedrash of Clapton Common, which follows the leadership of the son-in-law of the Fourth Bobover Rebbe.)

Current Status:

Active

Date Formed:

About 1962^(ix)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Strictly Orthodox - Chassidish

Affiliation:

A synagogue associated with the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (UOHC)^(x).

Rabbi:

Rabbi Dayan Ben Zion Blum (a son-in-law of Grand Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Halberstam, the Third Bobover Rebbe) - from at least 1983 to present (July 2020)^(xi).

Membership Data:

National Reports and Surveys ^(xii)

1983 - 55 male (or household) members

1990 - 80 members (13 households)

1996 - 108 members (100 households and 8 individual females)

2010 and 2016 - congregation listed but details of membership not provided.

Charitable Status:

The congregation has an associate registered charity (no. 278823) registered under the name Kahal Chassidim Bobov. The governing document is a Declaration of Trust dated 16 August 1978.^(xiii)

Local Government District:

Stamford Hill and Amhurst Park are now in the London Borough of Hackney, and were previously (until 1965) in the somewhat smaller former Metropolitan Borough of Hackney.^(xiv)

Registration District (BMD):

Hackney (since founding of congregation) - Link to Register Office website

Cemetery
Information:

For Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations cemeteries, see Cemeteries of the UOHC